Questions to Ask Before Choosing a Brokerage: A Practical Checklist

Welcome back to my weekly series for agents. This week I want to give you one practical tool that could save you more money than almost anything else I write about: before you choose a brokerage, interview it. Most of us spend more time comparing a new phone than we spend comparing the company that will process our income, hold our licence, and shape our day-to-day work for years. So here is the tip: bring a real list of questions into any brokerage conversation, mine included.

I say "mine included" on purpose. The brokerage you choose shouldn't make or break your business. It should help elevate it, and you are the one behind your own brand. That only works when you pick a place that fits how you actually work, and the only way to know that is to ask.

Start with the money, then go deeper

Everyone asks about the commission split, and you should. But the split is the first question, not the last one. Here are the money questions that tell you the real story:

• What is the split on every transaction, and when does it change? Some models advertise one split and quietly shift the terms as you grow. Ask for the full picture in writing.
• Is there a cap, and what happens when I reach it? A cap can be a big deal, but only if you understand it. Ask what production it takes, whether it resets, and what you keep after you hit it.
• What are all the fees, not just the monthly one? Desk fees, sign-up fees, per-transaction fees, technology fees, errors and omissions insurance. Ask for the complete list, because the monthly number never tells the whole story.
• What does it cost to leave? This is the question almost nobody asks, and it can be the most expensive one. Ask about exit fees, what happens to your listings, and what the process looks like if the fit is not right.

Since this series is about honest, usable answers, here is how REAL answers those questions, per REAL Brokerage's help centre. On each transaction, 15% goes to the company until you reach the annual cap, otherwise you keep 85%, per REAL Brokerage's article on the commission split. In Canada the annual cap is $15,000 CAD per agent, with a one-time $249 CAD sign-up fee and a $40 CAD fee on transactions the company processes, per REAL Brokerage's Canadian article on costs. Whether those numbers work for your business is for you to decide. The point is that you can find them written down in one place, and that transparency is the standard I would hold every brokerage to.

Ask what technology you actually get

Every brokerage claims to be tech-forward these days, so the real question is what you get on day one and what it costs extra. Ask: what tools are included with my membership? What do I have to pay for separately? And do these tools work with the way I already run my business?

At REAL, the tools are documented openly. Leo is the in-platform AI assistant, per the help centre article on Leo. HeyLeo is the consumer-facing AI property search tool, per the help centre article on HeyLeo. And reZEN is the platform where your transactions and finances live, per the help centre article on reZEN. When you compare brokerages, ask for the same level of detail about their tools, and check whether the marketing matches the fine print.

Ask about support on a normal Tuesday

Tools matter, but so does the human layer. Ask who answers your questions when something goes wrong, and how fast. Ask how transactions get reviewed and what happens when a deal hits a snag. Ask what training and mentorship actually look like, whether there are programs for new and growing agents, and whether more experienced agents are genuinely part of your growth.

Ask about culture in a way you can verify

Culture is the hardest thing to judge from a website, so ask about it directly. Are agents encouraged to collaborate, or treated like competitors? Are there communities and events, virtual or in person? How does the brokerage celebrate its agents' wins? Listen for answers that sound like a normal Tuesday, not a slogan.

Ask about the full picture, with honest expectations

Many brokerages now offer things beyond commission: revenue share, equity or stock awards, referral programs. These can be genuinely valuable, and I would encourage you to ask how they work. But here is the honest framing I would offer: treat them as a bonus that rewards specific behaviour, not as a promise of income. Ask what you actually need to do to qualify, when you would see the benefit, and what the rules are. At REAL, for example, revenue share is tied to production and is documented in the help centre article on revenue share. Read it with the same care you would bring to any contract, because the numbers only mean something in the context of your own business.

Your takeaway checklist

Here is the short version to take to your next conversation:

• What is the split on every transaction, and when does it change?
• Is there a cap, and what do I keep after I reach it?
• What are all the fees, in writing, including the ones I did not think to ask about?
• What does it cost to leave, and what happens to my listings?
• What technology is included, and what costs extra?
• Who answers my questions, and how fast?
• What does training and mentorship actually look like?
• How do agents here treat each other?
• What is on offer beyond commission, and what do I have to do to qualify?

If you would like a printable version, I keep a full brokerage checklist on this site with room for your own notes, because these questions matter most when you are sitting across from a brokerage and everything sounds good.

If you would like to work through these questions for your own situation, I would genuinely love to help. Not a pitch, a conversation. Tell me where you are and what you are weighing, and we will figure out together whether REAL is a fit for you. You can book a time with me here, or reach out any time at ToryInRealty@gmail.com or 289-814-TORY (8679).

And if you would like to look at REAL for yourself, you can start right here with my referral link. No pressure either way. The point of this series is to help you build a business that feels like yours, because at the end of the day, it is.

You can also join REAL through Tory's referral link when you are ready to take the next step.